Friday, 31 October 2014

Further to our report a few weeks ago, Green member of the House of Lords Jenny Jones very kindly tabled a question in Parliament so we could get confirmation that the funding to make Streatham Station accessible was secure, and where the matched funding would be coming from.

It seems that the £50,000 Section 106 money from the hub development for Streatham Station will be used after all (as we pushed for) as matched funding funding.

Streatham Station

Question

Asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to make funding available under the Access for All programme to make Streatham overground station accessible; whether matched funding has been promised; and if so, by whom.[HL2395]

The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Baroness Kramer) (LD): Access for All funding will be made available to provide Streatham station with an accessible route to each platform by April 2018. There is £50,000 in match funding available from Lambeth Borough Council.

Thursday, 30 October 2014

Following a successful local campaign, Streatham has been cited by Transport for London as the area with the greatest demand for improved transport links in the Crossrail 2 consultation report.

This is great news and comes after the Green Party brought together experts at a public meeting to address Streatham’s poor transport.

It has become clear that both the Crossrail 2 project and Bakerloo Line extension won't be coming to Streatham. Sadly many local politicians, including Chuka Umunna, didn't even respond to the Crossrail 2 Consultation, and haven't been pro-active in pushing transport links up the agenda (see here for details).

The amazing response to the latest Crossrail 2 consultation got TfL to sit up and take notice. We need to keep up the pressure for better transport links otherwise we will continue to be overlooked. Responding now to the Bakerloo line consultation means we can make the case for extending the Victoria line and improving existing links by getting better, low emission bus links between our rail stations.

Plans have moved on, and it seems that the proposal is to install two lifts (rather than pursue a potentially cheaper option of using the level access that exists from either side of the platforms) and that the scheme could be delivered by June 2017.

However, there seems to be a question mark over whether the funds will be available from the Department for Transport, so we will be pressing the Government to reaffirm its commitment that the Access for All funding is available to make Streatham Station accessible.

This is what Network Rail have told us:

We have launched the project now and have approval from the DfT to complete an option selection report which we are hoping to complete by the end of March 2015. Once this is completed the DfT will review the report and decide whether further funding will be released. This will be down to whether there is a viable option at an affordable cost.

We have been out with Southern Railway and their Access for All Manager to look at the works required. Its likely two lifts will be installed to give step free access to the platforms. Due to the station layout and platform widths this will not be a simple or cheap scheme to deliver. We will be holding a Value Management 1 exercise in the next few weeks to look at the possible options. We will carry out stakeholder consultation in the new year and we are proposing to put up some indicative drawings in the station lobby for people to review. We will also keep the local MP and council up to date with progress.

If a viable option is found and I believe we will have one it then comes down to cost and that’s a decision for the DfT. If we complete the Option Selection Report by the end of March 2015 then we would expect a decision by the DfT by June 2015. If funds are available I would then suggest we are likely to be able to deliver the scheme by June 2017 but that needs to be firmed up and completely depends on the solution agreed on.

Thursday, 9 October 2014

We have received confirmation from Lambeth Council following a request we passed on from residents in September, that the yellow lines will not be resinstated on Conyers Road.

Full question and response as follows:

Q2) The yellow lines at the Potters Lane end of Conyers Rd were meant to be temporary for Network rail work. Are some of the parking spaces to be reinstated, as the flats on the corner of Gleneagle are nearly finished, and there was a move to add new yellow lines futher up and on Fairmile, further reducing spaces?A2) I am informed by Ian Baker our Delivery Lead that after his discussions with Network rail he can now confirm that we will be resurfacing this carriageway this week and will ensure the yellow lineline is not replaced.

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

Local Green Cllr Scott and Ainslie and I met with officers yesterday at the new piazza area by Streatham Green (next to the Manor Arms and between Babington Road and Mitcham Lane).

We got confirmation that the two trees would be put in to the new tree pits by 18th October.

We also looked at ways of discouraging traffic from driving across the piazza, which is supposed to be a pedestrian area.

It looks as if we will be able to put two more fixed chairs and an extra tree in there, which will as well as preventing cars from driving across will also provide more seating and greenery.

We also looked at the issue of the weeds growing in the tree pits. There is presently no maintenance contract to deal with shrubs/ flowers/ weeds and general maintenance of the area around the trees. We have asked if this job can be added to the contractors who maintain Streatham Green itself.

Something else we are exploring is how we can support local businesses, like the new Village Cafe, to get tables and chairs out onto the piazza area more - particularly when the new market is happening.

Friday, 3 October 2014

For those wanting an update about the Streatham Bridge works, we have been told that the "top deck" works are now expected to finish on Drewstead Road a day early - on 9th October, with the road re-opening. The works (that don't involve road closure) at platform level will then be carried out until 15th December (estimated)

This what we have been told:

Works carried out to date:

Top deck works are nearing completion with the following carried out:

·Removal of the existing waterproofing with associated concrete deck repairs·New spray applied waterproofing system to Bridge deck·New footway and Carriageway surfacing·New Ducts for cathodic protection system for deck mounted control cabinets·New buried bridge joints
Most likely top deck works will be completed on Thursday 09th October and open carriageway for vehicles and footway for pedestrians ( 1 day ahead of schedule)

Future Works ( No Road Closure)
Works will be carried out on Streatham Hill Station platform level

The next phase of works is concrete repairs and cathodic protection to structure below bridge deck level(within rail environment) .The planned works take place within hoarded green Zone areas within platform limits and comprise:

Removal of all chemically and mechanically defective concrete using hydro demolition

Replacement of any defective reinforcement

Installation of impressed current cathodic protection anodes and cabling

Transport for London (TfL) (via contractors CVU Colas, VolkerHighways and URS) are to carry out carriageway resurfacing works on the A23 Streatham Hill and Streatham High Road between the junctions of Christchurch Road and Pendennis Road.

The scheme has been arranged into phases to try to reduce the amount of disruption caused, and maintain traffic flow.

The works will be carried out between Sunday 5 October 2014and Wednesday12November 2014,Sunday to Thursday nights only, weather permitting, or until the work is completed. The working hours will be between21:00 and 06:00. They say that 'every effort' will be made to ensure that noisy operations are completed before midnightbut that "vehicle reversing warning beepers are essential safety devices to protect operatives."

TfL say that any vehicles parked during the suspended hours, will be moved to a nearby road.

Pedestrian crossings will be closed during certain phases of the works to enable safe working.

Traffic management will be put in place to along A23 Streatham Hill and Streatham High Road to allow work to progress. Directional closures will be used and there will be associated side road closures.

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